1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles


caption=
country=Confederate States of America
allegiance=CSA
type=Mounted Infantry
branch=Volunteer Army, American Civil War
dates=June 18, 1861–April 26, 1865
specialization=
command_structure=
size=
current_commander=
garrison=
ceremonial_chief=
nickname=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=American Civil War
Battle of Wilson's Creek
Battle of Pea Ridge
Battle of Richmond
Battle of Perryville
Battle of Murfreesboro
Battle of Chickamauga
Battle of Chattanooga
Siege of Vicksburg
Battle of Franklin
notable_commanders=Colonel Thomas J. Churchill
General Kirby Smith
anniversaries=

1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles (1861-1865) was a Confederate Army cavalry regiment during the American Civil War. Of the Arkansas Confederate units formed during the war, only the 3rd Arkansas saw more combat action than the 1st Mounted Rifles.

At the outbreak of the Civil War, Arkansas formed some 48 infantry regiments, and a number of cavalry units. With the exception of the 3rd Arkansas, all of the Arkansas units would sign one year enlistments, thus leading to assignments in what was referred to as the "western theater", due to most of the large scale battles being fought in the east. The 1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles would sign one year enlistments, then later would sign a "three year or the duration of the war" extension.

First organized in Little Rock, Arkansas on June 16th, 1861, the regiment was initially commanded by Colonel Thomas J. Churchill. The regiment was first attached to General Benjamin McCulloch's Brigade. By August, they were on the move toward Springfield, Missouri, where they first saw action in the Battle of Wilson's Creek. Following that battle, the regiment was dispatched to Indian Territory to battle the Native American pro-Union Cherokee soldiers. They served in that capacity from September through October 1861. They were then sent to Corinth, Mississippi, where they joined with massing Confederate forces.

On March 6th, 1862, the regiment was engaged during the Battle of Pea Ridge, then again during the Battle of Richmond. They were dismounted in the spring of 1862, and fought the remainder of the war as infantry. Following Colonel Churchill's promotion to Major General, the regiment was placed under the command of General Kirby Smith. Following this they saw action near Richmond, Kentucky, then again in October 1862 when they fought at the Battle of Perryville. They were then merged as part of the Army of Tennessee under General Braxton Bragg. Shortly thereafter, they fought in the Battle of Murfreesboro, then were sent south to help relieve Confederate forces during the Siege of Vicksburg. They would remain a part of the Army of Tennessee for the remainder of the war, seeing action during the Battle of Chickamauga and the Battle of Chattanooga, with their last major action being during the Battle of Franklin. They were present when General Bragg surrendered on April 26th, 1865, in Durham Station, North Carolina.

References

* [http://www.larkcom.us/ancestry/civilwar/cw_cs_1st_arkansas_mounted_rifles.cfm 1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles]
* [http://www.civilwararchive.com/Confedreg/confedar.htm Arkansas Confederate Army Regiments]
* [http://www.robert-ford.ws/1st%20AR%20Rifles.htm 1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles, "Boys of Company H"]
* [http://www.nps.gov/archive/vick/ar/ar1rif.html 1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles Dismounted]
* [http://www.tarleton.edu/~kjones/CSar-fl.html Confederate Regimental Histories]